Newsmaker: Dawn Backer Founder Knick Knack Pittie Pack Rescue

Dawn Backer of Mont Alto and her husband, Wolfgang, founded Knick Knack Pittie Pack Rescue for pit bulls in August 2012 and she is the president of the board of directors.

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By Nancy MaceThe Record Herald

Waynesboro Record Herald - Waynesboro, PA

By Nancy MaceThe Record Herald

Posted Jan. 6, 2014 at 2:00 PM

By Nancy MaceThe Record Herald

Posted Jan. 6, 2014 at 2:00 PM

Dawn Backer of Mont Alto and her husband, Wolfgang, founded Knick Knack Pittie Pack Rescue for pit bulls in August 2012 and she is the president of the board of directors. Name: Dawn Backer Age: 43 † Family: Husband Wolfgang and son Devon Education: Associate’s degree in specialized business Hometown: Fairfield Current town: Mont Alto † Occupation: Stay-at-home mom and rescue operator Hobbies: Working on new ideas for the rescue, scrapbooking Tell us about the Knickknack Pittie Pack Rescue and why you started it. We have two rescued pit bulls ourselves and foster as well. They are the inspiration behind Knick Knack Pittie Pack. These are the most amazing dogs … so loyal, so loving … but also so misunderstood. They are the most bred dog in the United States as well as the most euthanized in shelters. We take in dogs from shelters, from abuse/neglect situations, dogs that have been abandoned … we help whenever we can. If we cannot take a dog into the rescue due to lack of foster availability, we offer to post them on our Facebook page. Our fosters must pass an application process, which includes reference checks and a home visit. When a dog is in foster care, we pay for all expenses: food, treats, crate, collar, leash, harness, bowls, toys, any necessary vetting. We simply ask that our fosters treat our dogs as members of their family, giving them patience, love and understanding and working with them on their basic obedience. How many dogs have been rescued? Since its inception, Knick Knack Pittie Pack has rescued 36 dogs, with 19 being adopted out, three currently in foster-to-adopt and the rest still looking for their forever homes. How is the rescue supported? We run fundraisers regularly. We have done direct selling catalog sales, hoagie sales … we sell T-shirts regularly, we’re getting ready to start a coffee fundraiser and we are selling 2014 calendars with some of the rescue dogs in it. We have had a spaghetti dinner with a silent auction and have many events planned for 2014 that are currently being organized. We are at Tractor Supply in Chambersburg once a month where we set up T-shirts, baked goods and literature on our dogs. Who leads the organization? I am the president of the rescue, Amy Randt is the secretary and Jen Parris is the treasurer. Our directors are Wolfgang Backer, Kevin Parris, Krista Eby, Kacey Brechbiel and Chad Bender. Our junior directors are Devon Backer and Kaylynn Meck. Our mission statement: Knick Knack Pittie Pack was started to honor and celebrate the pit bull-type dogs — the AmStaffs, the American pit bull terriers and the Staffordshire bull terriers by rescuing and safely and responsibly rehoming unwanted shelter and death-row pitties. (However, a dog in need is a dog in need ... we will not discriminate against any breed). Our first rescue was a local rescue in April of 2009 — Kira — a beautiful AmStaff girl who changed our lives forever. We added to our pack in February of 2011 when we rescued Skippy, our blue and white APBT (American pit bull terrier) from Manhattan’s euth list. They are both truly amazing and the inspiration behind Knick Knack Pittie Pack. Our goal is to work with wonderful fosters to pull pitties from shelters and desperate situations and give them a second chance. We truly believe in these breeds and know first-hand how wonderfully amazing, loyal and loving they are. Please help us help the pitties — if we all work together, we can and will help put an end to BSL (breed description legislation) and the discrimination against these dogs — America’s dogs, the first nanny dogs — the pit bull-type dogs. What is the most rewarding part of your work, the most challenging? Everything about saving a dog is rewarding … they know, they know that they are safe and that their lives are going to get better. You can see it in their eyes, their actions, their wagging tails … it’s a feeling like no other. The hard part of rescue is having to say, “No.” We cannot save every dog that we are contacted about and that’s hard. But we can’t save any if we take in too many. For more information: Visit: www.knickknackpittiepack.org or call 552-8801 Anything else you would like to add? Our goal is to have a facility sometime this year. We already have our kennel license through the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture and our records are subject to at least two inspections a year. We are a 501(c)(3) organization, meaning we are a non-profit through the IRS so all donations are tax-deductible. We will be able to help so many more of the local pit bulls, as well as showcase our existing ones, if we have a set place to do so. Will you share a little known fact about yourself? I am currently taking classes through Penn Foster to become a certified and licensed vet tech.